Main
Sunny Shao
I have made visualizations viewed tens of thousands of people, led data queries, analysis, and visualization labs for UCR students and members from public and non-profit sectors.
Education
PhD. Candidate, Political Science
University of California
Riverside, CA
2021 - 2016
- Dissertation: From Netizen to Citizen: netizen empowerment and WeChat political activism among Chinese Americans
- Focused on Asian American political participation and social media mobilization
- Study netizen politics among Chinese Americans on WeChat
M.S., Public Policy
Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA
2015 - 2013
- Focused on economics and local governance
- Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society Member
B.A., International Communications
Nottingham University
Nottingham, UK
2013 - 2010
- Studied communication theory and public spheres on social media platforms
Work Experience
Researcher & Center Associate
Center for Social Innovation (UCR)
Riverside, CA
current - 2018
- Independently collect, analyze and visualize survey data for research reports and public-sector clients
- Supervise and mentor undergraduate students on data science research
- Provided technical support for the Census 2020 Complete Count Committee in the Inland Empire Region of CA
Researcher
AAPI Data
Riverside, CA
current - 2017
- Work and collaborate with local, state, and national organizations on over 130 data consulting projects
- Program Qualtrics experimental surveys with name matching algorithm to determine ethnicity from voter files
- Analyze, visualize survey data and build interactive data tools in ShinyApps using R
Summer Data Consulting Fellow
Education Pioneer
Los Angeles, CA
2016
- Worked closely with charter network coordinators, school principals, teachers on their needs and constraints for life experience programs
- Created weighted sampling surveys to evaluate programs of Camino Nuevo charter school network
- Designed research protocols and research methodology for future program evaluations
Data Analyst Intern
SmartAnalyst
Gurgaon, India
2012
- Interviewed thoracic oncologists in Japan and China for pharmaceutical clients, who are on phase II trials of non-small cell lung cancer drugs
- Translated three-way phone meetings between client, SmartAnalyst and Chinese thoracic oncologists
- Crowdsourced regional experts in non-small cell lung cancer through medical journals
I have worked independently on various projects at AAPI Data and CSI, coordinated directly with stakeholders, funders, and journalists who are not data experts themselves. I was also responsible for managing stakeholders’ expectations and communicating project progress with them from initiation to closing.
Teaching & Workshop Experience
ArcGIS Lab
Center for Social Innovation
Riverside, CA
current - 2020
- Spatial Data Visualization & Mapping Application Development
- Initiate the workshop and organized and taught each session
- Lectured on using ArcGIS online tools to create interactive mapping tools
Analyzing ACS data with tidyverse and tidycensus R packages
Center for Social Innovation
Riverside, CA
2020
Infographic Design with Adobe illustrator
AAPI Data
Riverside, CA
2019
Data Narrative Action (DNA): Data Visualization & Cesus Factfinder Tools
Social Innovation Institute
Riverside, CA
2018
Applied Econometrics & Microeconomics
School of Public Policy, Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA
2015 - 2014
- TA and lectured
- Topics covered from penalized regression to boosted trees and neural networks
Calculus & Economics
Fusion Academy
Pasadena, CA
2015
- Teacher & Mentor
- taught Accredited high school curriculum & mentored 10th grade - freshman year students
Selected Interactive Data Tool Development
Inland Empire COVID Monitor
ArcGIS Hub
N/A
current - 2020
2020 Census and Beyond: Mapping the Geography and Diversity of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
ArcGIS Hub
N/A
current - 2020
Survey Projects
Asian American Voter Survey
AAPI Data, APIAVote & AAAJC
N/A
2020 - 2018
- National experimental survey conducted in English & 8+ Asian langauges
Inland Empire Non-profit/Civic Engagement Survey
Center for Social Innovation, UC Riverside
N/A
2020 - 2019
- Inland Empire Region of CA
National Asian American Survey
AAPI DATA
N/A
2018 - 2018
- National survey
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Visibility Survey
AAPI Data
N/A
2018
- National
Selected Published Research Reports
Reaching Low-Propensity Voters in California’s November 2020 Elections: Recommendations from focus group research and community partner engagement
California Common Cause & Center for Social Innovation
N/A
2020
Untapped Power: The Strength of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Working People
APALA & AAPI Data
N/A
2019
Selected Presentations & Invited Talks
ArcGIS Lab
Center for Social Innovation
Riverside, CA
current - 2020
- Spatial Data Visualization & Mapping Application Development
- Initiate the workshop and organized and taught each session
- Lectured on using ArcGIS online tools to create interactive mapping tools
Analyzing ACS data with tidyverse and tidycensus R packages
Center for Social Innovation
Riverside, CA
2020
Infographic Design with Adobe illustrator
AAPI Data
Riverside, CA
2019
Data Narrative Action (DNA): Data Visualization & Cesus Factfinder Tools
Social Innovation Institute
Riverside, CA
2018
2020 Census and Beyond: New Tool for AAPI Census Efforts
Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy
Virtual
2019
Key Patterns and Trends Among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: Chinese American Demographics & Political Engagement
National Conference of State Legislators
Los Angeles, CA
2018
2018 and Beyond: Data, Narrative, and Action
Advancing Justice Conference
Atlanta, GA
2018
Resources for Engaging in the Debate Over Data Disaggregation
Association of Asian American Studies
San Francisco, CA
2018
Should Federal Government Mandate Vaccination for Children
RAND LA Policy Symposium
Santa Monica, CA
2015
Selected blogs
Understanding the Struggles of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
N/A
N/A
2019
- Authored with Dr. Janelle Wong & Dr. Karthick Ramakrishnan
Record Gains in AAPI Voting Likely to Continue Through 2020
N/A
N/A
2018
- Authored with Dr. Sono Shah & Dr. Karthick Ramakrishnan
Here’s what you need to know about AAPIs running for Congress in 2018
N/A
N/A
2018
- Authored with Dr. Sono Shah
Selected Press
WeChat is a lifeline for the Chinese diaspora. What happens now that Trump banned it?
Los Angeles Time
N/A
2020
Chinese American Trump fans raise election recount funds on WeChat: New fundraising arm preps for comeback, quietly steers some donations to debts
Nikkei Asia
N/A
2020
US Election Special III: Election results update, Chinese Americans’ voters in NYC
RTHK 31 Cable Network
N/A
2020
Grants and Awards
Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society
N/A
Malibu, CA
current - 2015
GSA Conference Travel Grant
N/A
Riverside, CA
2021 - 2016
Coulter Foundation GSA Grant
N/A
N/A
2021 - 2017
2020 Rstudio conference Diversity Scholarship
N/A
San Francisco, CA
2019
UCR Dean’s Distinguished Fellowship
N/A
Riverside, CA
2017 - 2016
Pepperdine Graduate School Scholarship Award
N/A
Malibu, CA
2015 - 2013
Pepperdine Dean’s Distinguished Fellowship
N/A
Malibu, CA
2014